Shock-absorbing pedestal



Patented Sept. l 7, V1937 SHOCK-ABSORBING PEDESTAL Louis W. Greve, Cleveland, Ohio, assi'gnor tn 'lhe Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Olii Application June 2s, 1934,'seria1 No. 7321843 4 claims. (01.0 15s-sz) This invention relates to improvements in shock-absorbing pedestals; particularly ^seat supporting pedestals;

One of the objects of the invention is the pro- 5 vision of means for utilizing a shock absorber of the telescoping cylinder type as the support for a vehicle or other seat.

Another object is the provision of a novel means for supporting the lower' largercylinder at the top thereof, with the greater portion of its length projecting into an opening in a Yfloor,

utilizing aoor plate attached to the cylinder A further object is the provision of means for. permitting or ,preventing relative-.rotation be-v tween the two telescopingl cy1inders,'at the option of the user.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I rproceed with the description, of that em; bodiment of the'invention which, for the purposes-of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a seat support embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental vertical sectional view showing the position of theNalve ring during the compressionor impact stroke; and X Figs. 3A and 4 are horizontal sectional views taken .substantially on the lines fil-3 and I-l'f respectivelyof Fig. 1;

which comprise the main elements of my seat support are shown at III and II. The lower and larger cylinder I0 is closed at its-lower end" b suitable means, such as a plate I2, preferably welded in place.` At the upper, end of the cylinder IIIther'e is a portion I3 of increased diameter, Y I and at the junction of these two portions of different diameters there are internal and external annular shoulders Il and I5 respectively, which' fhave important functions in the invention.y

,-AJheavy gauge metal floor platel is formed 4with 'a circular opening therethrough to fit the= `Asmaller diameter portion of the ycylinder I0. In

assembly, this plate is pushed over the lower. end

In the drawing, the two telescoping cylinders the tube 30 until it rites to the level of the lower. 1WV

thereby forming an extremely rigid mounting for the upper endof the cylinder. When a pedestal is to be placed in position for use, a hole is made .in the floor I8 of proper r'size to receive the lower smaller diameter portion of the cylinder I0, and the floor plate I6 is caused to rest upon the floor, thereby supporting the cylinder and holding it against any possible tilting movement. If desired; the plate I6 may be secured to the floor I8 by screws I9 or the like. J 10 Within the cylinder I0 there is positioned a heavy coil spring 20 which supports an annular head` 2| threadably mounted on the lower end of the upper cylinder I I.Y The lower part of head 2l Lhas a suiilciently thick wall to slidably engage the inner wall of'the small diameter portion of cylinder I 0. thick Wall portion is spaced lengthwise a short distance away from the lower end of cylinder II, and in the groove thus provided I mount a valve ring 22 which is slidable up and down in this groove. The head 2l yhas aiplurality of passages 23 f orrned in its thick wall .portion,vwhich communicate at their'upper extremities with'an annular groove 24. Inlthe ring .22 there are a plurality of restricted passages 25-which register with the groove 24 when the ring is in its lower position. It will be observed that the ring 22 has an external diameter Yappreciably less than the internal diameter of thecylinder I0, whereby .clearance around the periphery of the ring, between'the ring and the cylinder, is provided.

' On the internal shoulder I4 there rests 4a metal ring 26 which forms an abutment for packing 2'Lt The latter is held -in Aposition by a packing gland ring 28' which may be threaded into the large diameter part t3 of the lower cylinder to a greater or lesser extent, thereby tightening or loosening the packing2'l.

The outer.wal1 of cylinder II2J is spacedr in-A 'wardly from the inner wall of cylinder I0, as appears clearly in Fig. 2, and the annular chamber formed between these two walls whenwthe shock absorber is compressed, as shown in Fig. 2, has an important function in the operation of the pedestal, as willlater appear.

,In theupper end of cylinder II I mount a plug 29 which is preferably welded in place. EX`l tending through this plug there is `a. tube 30 which is vclosednormally by a threaded cap 3|. 50 The tube extends downwardly into-the cylinder II a predetermined distance, which determines' the quantity of oil'with which the pedestal may. be charged. In other words, oil is poured through;

inders.

collar 31 xed to the cylinder. 'Ihe ring 36 may Ybe"locked against turning movement upon the cylinder by a scrw 38 having vwings on its head for easy manipulation. A rod 39 is threaded into a projection on the ring 36 and extends downwardly. parallel to/the cylinder axes through a hole 4| in the iioor plate I6 and into a hole 42 in the iioor. The rod 33 .moves up and down with cylinder I l, and prevents rotation of that cylinder when the screw 38 is tightened. When that screw is backed oi from engagement with cylinder Il, however, the cylinder may obviously turn within the ring, enabling the user to turn the seat around like the seat of a swivel chair.

The shocks of impact are of course takenupon the coil spring4 20. During the impact stroke, the valve ring 22 will occupy the position illustrated in Fig. 2, when oil will flow upwardly through the passages 23 around the periphery of valve ring 22, and into the annular space between the two cyl- Such ilow will be very rapid. When the impact stroke is terminated, and the spring 2li begins to return the upper cylinder to its normal position, the ring 22 will :immediately seat itself upon the enlargedA lowe'i'l part of the head 2|, thereby cutting oil.' iiow around the periphery of .the ring. 'I'he oil trapped in vthe annular space between the cylinders must then escape entirely 40 through therestricted passages 25 into groove 24 andv thence through passages 23. 'I'he flow during this stroke will therefore be a. metered now/at a lower rate, and the rebound will be correspondingly checked. The number and size of the passages 25 may, of course, be varied to suit the In the foregoing description I have necessarily gone somewhat into detail in order to explain fully the particular embodiment of the invention f herein illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that such detailed disclosures are not to be construed as amounting to limitations, except'as they may be included in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In -a shock-absorbing pedestal, a lower cylinder closed at the bottom adapted to project into an opening in a oor, said cylinder having an upper end portion or increased diameter, internal land external shoulders at the junction point between the two different diameters of the cylinder, a-filoor plate-surrounding' the smaller diameter 'portion of the cylinder and abutting against said external shoulder. means securing said plate to the cylinderia smaller, cylinder telescoping I within the lower cylinder, a packing carried by vthe lower cylinder above said internal shoulder I "and releasable means for locking theI ring against rotation' upon its cylinder. N

3. In a shock absorber, two telescoping cylinders, -means entirely enclosed within the cylinders for checking shocks, a rod outside of the' cylinders and parallel thereto, means ilxed to onev f of the cylinders slidably guiding said rod for longitudinal `movement, and means iixed to the other cylinder in which said rod is xedly mount- V4. In a shock-absorbing pedestal, a lower cylinder closed at the bottom adapted to project into an opening in a floor, said cylinder having an upper end portion of increased diameter, a packing in said upper end portion, an external shoulder at the junction point between the two dliIerent diameters of the cylinder, a iioor plate surrounding the smaller diameter portion of the cylinder and abutting against said shoulder, meanssecuring, the iloor plate to the cylinder,

bracing means between the floor plate and large diameter portion of the cylinder secured to both' of those parts, an upper cylinder telescoping within said lower cylinder, and shock absorbing means within said cylinders.

` LOUIS W. GREVE.

'35 of the cylinders is 

